1. Field of the Invention
Masonry; Construction
2. Description of Related Art
Occasionally a descriptive term in this application may be shortened so as to recite only a part rather than the entirety thereof as a matter of convenience or to avoid needless redundancy. In instances in which that is done, applicant intends that the same meaning be afforded each manner of expression. Thus, the term botanical well of planter-block's second portion (121) might be used in one instance but in another, if meaning is otherwise clear from context, expression might be shortened to botanical well (121) or merely well (121). Any of those forms is intended to convey the same meaning.
The term attach or fasten or any of their forms when so used means that the juncture is of a more or less permanent nature, such as might be accomplished by nails, screws, welds or adhesives. Thus it is stated herein that prior art concrete masonry blocks (501) were made part of a wall (502) by means of attachment. A connection in which an object would be easily removed from another would be described by the word emplace, as where it is stated herein that pebbles or similar material may be emplaced beneath the soil (201) bed of a planter-block's botanical well (121). Employment of the words connector join or any of their forms is intended to include the meaning of any of those terms in a more general way.
The word comprise may be construed in any one of three ways herein. A term used to describe a given object is said to comprise it, thereby characterizing it with what could be considered two-way equivalency in meaning for the term. Thus, it is stated that a planter-block's second portion (12) comprises that disposed toward its face (151), meaning that the latter is in fact the former and the former, the latter. The term comprise may also be characterized by what might be considered one-way equivalency, as when it is stated herein that in many variants of the invention, vertical interior ducts (192) comprise the planter-block's sole drainage means (19). This use of the word has a generic sense to it. That is, a drainage overflow channel (191) will always be the planter-block's drainage means (19) but those means (19) may be a drainage overflow channel (191) in one case but something else in another. However, the word comprise may also be used to describe a feature which is part of the structure or composition of a given object. Thus, the planter-block (1), like the prior art concrete blocks (501), is said to preferably comprise spacing knuckles (16). The meaning in the respective cases is clear from context, however. Accordingly, modifying words to clarify which of the three uses is the intended one seem unnecessary.
Terms relating to physical orientation such as top or bottom, upper or lower, upwards or downwards, refer to the positioning of an object in the manner in which it would be typically oriented for use or viewing. Both the reinforcement alignment block hollows (111) and the botanical well (121) of the subject matter hereof are, thus, said to extend from the top (153) of the planter-block (1) to a point proximate its bottom (154); and the bottom of one block (1, 501) in a wall (2) is stated to comprise size exactly fitting the four corners (17, 517) of the top of another (1, 501) therein (2). It is further stated in reference to one of the drawings, that the top row of planter-blocks (1) is left uncovered for viewing purposes. and that many of the retainer walls formed by prior art blocks (501) are upwardly terraced. It is also stated that in a variant in which the block's face (151) might be tapered upward, the distance from its top (153) to its backside (152) would be greater than the distance to that point (152) along its bottom (154). Extension from one side (155) to the other (155) of the block's face (151) is spoken of as its (151) longitudinal aspect. The wall itself (2) is recognized as having interior (21) and exterior (22) outer, sides—inner and outer, respectively; and it is insisted that it (2) be vertically straight, as distinguished from upward/y terraced as in the case of retaining walls. Optional arrangements of the planter-blocks (1) therein (2) may comprise horizontal rows, vertical columns or diagonals. An overflow channel (191), where present, is said to extend from the bottom an the emergence cleft (13) to the block's bottom (154). Moreover, the block's drainage means (19) is required to comprise vertical interior ducts (102). Those terms should be understood to retain their intended meaning with reference to parts of the subject matter hereof just as though they were oriented as generally situated and observed. Thus, the meaning would remain the same even if it were possible to orient those objects in some other manner—upside down, for instance.
The word generally, with reference to some descriptive aspect of the subject matter hereof merely indicates a slight deviation from too precise a limitation the more specific would define. Thus, the mortared joint or seam (24) between two horizontally adjoining blocks (1) is stated to be aligned generally with the longitudinal midpoint of a block (1) disposed immediately below it (24).
The term reference bearings merely denotes the viewed aspects of an object being considered such as, with reference to the planter-block (1), the top (153), bottom (154), sides (155) and the like. The dimensional aspects of an object, on the other hand, refer to its length (141), height (142) and width (143). In parallel fashion, the prior art concrete block (501) would also comprise equivalent prior art reference bearings (515) of its own (501), including its face (551), backside (552), top (553), bottom (554) and sides (555).
The term fluvial is merely one of technical usage generally referring to the flow of a liquid such as where the fluvial outflow within the block's vertical interior duct (192) is considered for water emitted from the botanical well (121).
The word stack is employed herein to denote placement of the blocks (1, 501) one directly atop another (1, 501) as distinguished from some_other placement pattern such as running bond (23), ante, for example.
The concrete building block (501) of prior art has been with us probably since the early part of the 19th Century. It has been properly considered in terms of its reference bearings (515), including its face (551), backside (552), top (551), bottom (552) and sides (555) Its (501) shape provided it a number of right-angled corners (517) and most of them (501) comprised_reinforcement alignment block hollows (511) which lightened the block's (501) weight and, when properly set up in construction, permitted metal rods or posts to pass vertically through them (501) to strengthen the structure they (501) were part of. To their (501) credit, some also comprised one or more spacing knuckles (516)-relatively small protrusions to abut those of an adjoining_block (501)—along each of their sides (555). When the blocks (501) were installed within a wall (502), the spacing knuckles themselves (516), when present, were situated to allow a small separation for retention and enhanced curing of mortar applied at the joint, or seam (24) between the blocks (501). The blocks (501) were formed to fit well together to form a prior art vertically straight edifice wall (501). Experience soon taught the advantages of installing the blocks (501) in what became known as a running bond (23) masonry pattern. In that arrangement, the seam (24) between two horizontally adjoining blocks (501) became aligned generally with the longitudinal midpoint of a block (501) disposed immediately below it (24). Thus constructed, each block (501) was disposed above portions of two underlying blocks (501) such that the weight of the overlying one (501) was evenly distributed upon the two (501) below. While some other arrangements were also devised, a stacked pattern, in which each block (501) would have been placed directly above another (501), was obviously less preferred for failing to provide the advantages of the running bond (23).
The notion that flower pots or plant beds might be disposed within a cavity in a building block (501) began appearing at least as early as 1960 but a greater number of them emerged, in Europe at first, 25 or 30 years ago. With the exception of a 1917 building block (501) structure designed only to more efficiently grow plants (250) in U.S. Pat. No. 1,217,239 issued to Shwartz and a 1950 vertical arrangement of plant containing blocks (501) merely as part of a fence in U.S. Pat. No. 2,514,536 issued to Burney, almost all—if not all—focused attention upon retaining walls and shared the concept of block (501) erection in an upwardly terraced manner, the blocks (501) retained in place by force of gravity. Such construction logically provided better support to keep the earth from pushing through than would a vertically straight wall (502). and also beneficially exposed a greater portion of the plant bed situated within the blocks (501). U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,293 issued to Manthei provided a typical example along with several patents cited therein. Along the way, U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,138 issued to Steiner featured a semi-circular block hollowed out to contain soil (201) and growing plants (250) and later, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,761 issued to Rossi, a French inventor, a very suitable shape was conferred upon a block (501) to make it project outward to even more obviously display the plant (250) bed.
The walls (502) of buildings, on the other hand, often comprised, as many still do today, what are herein designated traditional prior art concrete blocks (501) retained in place not only by force of gravity but, as well, by what is herein designated a form of attachment-adhesion by reason of application of mortar in seams (24) between them (501) and in spaces underneath and above them (501).
The focus of attention in this realm has shifted to economical conversion of energy concerns—the use of living botanical forms to radiate heat from a building, deriving power to accomplish this air-conditioning task from nature itself in what is generally recognized as a form of energy conversion. The upwardly terraced arrangement characteristic of the potted retainer wall exposed a relatively large plant bed to maximize this effect. To adopt the general scheme for application to a building's vertically straight walls (2) necessitates reducing the plant bed's size but could, nonetheless, provide the sought-after cooling effects if the number of plants (250) were multiplied over and over as they (250) are in the terraced retainer walls. While there would have to be some exterior protrusion of the planter-block (1) to catch the plant-building elements, outward offset from the wall's (2) center of gravity has to be avoided to avoid its (2) possible collapse. Dedicated engineering in design can properly fulfill the need.
While the retainer walls of prior art have strongly suggested the direction the merging of plant life into concrete structures should go, much must still be done in the way of clever block design and arrangement to adapt those beginnings into a vertically straight wall (2) of a building in a manner which offers significant energy saving potential.